MP Gideon Amos has demanded urgent action following news of another increase in energy bills coming in October.

Industry regulator Ofgem said its price cap would go up by four per cent on October 1, reflecting higher wholesale gas prices as a result of ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

A household using a typical amount of gas and electricity is likely to pay £60 a year more, although a third of households are on fixed tariffs where prices will not change.

Mr Amos said: “Higher bills are the last thing people in Wellington should have to shoulder, given the ongoing cost of living crisis.

“Government should urgently break the link and end the cost of gas determining electricity bills.

“Our Liberal Democrat essential energy guarantee would do just that and take profits from energy networks, using them to bring bills down generally.

“Our plan is to halve energy bills over the next 10 years.

“Andy Burnham should adopt it, change course, and stop these price rises from coming into effect.”

The party’s guarantee would give every household an essential amount of energy, equal to 50 per cent of typical consumption, at a discounted rate.

Mr Amos said: “Every single household in Britain should be able to afford their basic everyday energy needs, regardless of what happens in global energy markets and regardless of who happens to be sitting in Number 10.

“The fact that energy bills continue to soar, means households are being forced to choose between heating and eating, while cold and damp homes cause avoidable illnesses like asthma and pneumonia, costing the NHS over £1 billion a year.

“This is not just an economic scandal, it is a health one, too.”

Mr Amos said his party’s plan included emergency home insulation, and stimulating a ‘rooftop solar revolution’.